Lightning at Wild
Zach Parise is back taking the lead for the Minnesota Wild as they try to finish with two victories at home before the Olympic break, starting with a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday. Parise was named the NHL’s First Star of the Week Monday after collecting eight points in three games and the Wild are 2-1-2 since he returned from missing a month with a foot injury. The Lightning rebounded from losing the first two games on their trip by beating Montreal 2-1 in overtime Saturday.
Parise notched a goal and two assists as Minnesota defeated Western Conference-leader Anaheim last Tuesday before giving up nine goals to go 0-1-1 in its last two. Tampa Bay survived a big scare when No. 1 goalie Ben Bishop was not seriously injured after being hit in the head by the skate boot of a teammate against Ottawa on Thursday. Bishop returned to win his 27th game against Montreal and was in net during a 3-1 win over the Wild on Oct. 17.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, SunSports (Tampa Bay), FSN North (Minnesota)
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (32-18-5): All Star Steven Stamkos is closing in on a return from a broken right tibia, but the Lightning have battled to a 20-13-5 record in his absence with everyone contributing. Defenseman Victor Hedman continues to play a big role with 21 points - 10 in the last five games - and a plus-11 rating over the last 20 contests. Captain Martin St. Louis has only one assist in the first three games on the trip, but leads the team with 53 points and linemate Tyler Johnson has six goals and six assists in 12 games.
ABOUT THE WILD (29-21-7): Captain Mikko Koivu underwent ankle surgery on Jan. 6 and has begun skating on his own, but is not likely to play in the final two games before the Olympics. The Wild have gone 7-4-2 without Koivu and goalie Darcy Kuemper came up from the minors to win six of them before allowing eight tallies in the last two. Jason Pominville leads Minnesota with 22 goals and 39 points while 21-year-old Mikael Granlund posted eight points in the previous five games - with 12 shots on goal the last three.
OVERTIME
1. Tampa Bay’s second-leading scorer Valtteri Filppula missed the last game with a lower-body injury, but practiced with the team Monday.
2. Minnesota D Jonas Brodin, who has logged at least 25 minutes in eight of the last 11 games, is expected to play his 100th NHL game.
3. After allowing 13 power-play goals in 37 attempts, the Lightning killed off all 12 in the last four contests and boast three short-handed tallies in the last five.